Florida is… Burrowing Owls | Eastern Indigo Snakes | Florida Panthers | Florida Bog Frogs | Gopher Tortoises | Key Deer | Lower Keys Rabbits
Miami Blue Butterflies | Red Wolves | Red-cockaded Woodpeckers | Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders | Stock Island Tree Snails | Wood storks
(Ft. Drum Plaza, Florida Turnpike)
Cortada portrayed Florida’s endangered land animals in Florida Turnpike’s Ft. Drum plaza (near Orlando). At the main entrance visitors are greeted by an 8’ x 20’ mural of a Florida Panther. “I created the mural in small rectangular pieces to resemble city blocks on a map,” said Cortada. “In the work, I wanted to reference how cars and buildings continue to overtake the panther’s natural habitat. We must find a better way to coexist with nature.”
In the dining room, Cortada depicted 12 other Florida land animals threatened by human encroachment and development: Burrowing Owls, Eastern Indigo Snakes, Florida Panthers, Florida Bog Frogs, Gopher Tortoises, Key Deer, Lower Keys Rabbits, Miami Blue Butterflies, Red Wolves, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders, Stock Island Tree Snails, Wood storks.
